Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > The Troubled Teen Industry

Suicide at ChildServ

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Oscar:
Victim list will be updated.

Girl’s Suicide Raises Question About Home For Troubled Youth
CBS Chicago, November 30, 2011

NAPERVILLE, Ill. (CBS) – A teenage girl who took her life on railroad tracks in Naperville last month was a resident of a home that is supposed to protect some of the state’s most vulnerable young people.

CBS 2?s Dave Savini investigated allegations the home was out of control.

ChildServ in Naperville is where 15-year-old Caitlin Lee lived until she took her own life on nearby railroad tracks.

Her mother, Mary Lee, blames the system and the home that was supposed to take care of her troubled daughter, who was a danger to herself and became a ward of the state.

“I just remember screaming out, ‘I told you this was going to happen,’” Mary Lee said about her daughter, who reportedly was not doing well at ChildServ.

During her three-month stay at ChildServ, Lee ran away 17 times. In fact, in the nine days leading up to her death, she ran away six times.

Caitlin’s grandfather, Patrick Ward – a former elected state’s attorney in Lee County – says Caitlin was doing better at a different facility and she should not have been moved to ChildServ.

“She was my girl. She shouldn’t have been released from the only place she was safe,” said Ward. “And we tried and we yelled and we screamed and we begged.”

CBS 2?s investigation uncovered police records showing Naperville police were called to the home 625 times in just two years.

Naperville Police Chief David Dial says the 911 calls doubled in the last two years. The calls included fights, suicide threats, even one for sexual assault; but the vast majority were for runaways like Caitlin.

“I cannot explain why this is permitted to go on by DCFS,” said Dial. “She should have never been in a setting like a group home.”

On the night of her suicide, Lee even made threats to hurt herself after an earlier altercation with another girl in the home. Police say they did not get a call about the earlier altercation, but instead were called after the suicide threats and after she ran away.

“I think we should have been called,” Dial said.

ChildServ also has homes in Downers Grove and Lisle. Police were called to those homes, combined, more than 500 times in the past two years.

The head of ChildServ chose not to comment.

A DCFS official said the performance of these three group homes is not acceptable and the homes are under a quality improvement plan to address problems including how to better handle runaway behavior.

--Comments made on webpage below--

the truth hurts
the responsibilty of this childs death should be divvied up equally. Who’s fault – parents, child, and state. Lets not put all the blame on the state. The child was a ward of the state for a reason. The parents obviously couldn’t control this “troubled” (out of control) youth. The parents failed and passed to state, understandably, the state failed so now the state is 100% at fault? Also, for Chief Dial to incenuate they could have changed the outcome of this case is far fetched. If she was determined to kill herself, she would and could and did. Sad story, but doesn’t seem as though this was going to be prevented. It was inevitable with her track record of threats.
December 1, 2011 at 8:19 am

There is always more to the story
Before we pass judgement, know that the family turned to the state for help to keep her safe because she could not be safe in the home. Many children have issues that require professional help they would not receive if the state does not intervene. Mental health issues are not easy to manage for anyone including the person suffering. The facilities are designed to be therapeutic and many of them are and assit the children with the skills they need to cope and deal with their issues. This situaton was not handled appropriately by the facility based on what the facility claimed they could do for this child. Many times children are suicidal because of a variety of different reasons and sometimes it really has nothing to to with what the family did or didn’t do. It takes a great deal of strengthfor a parent to admit they cannot be and do everything for their child. It is very possible if this child was left in the placement where she was safe, she could have received the help she needed and suicide would not have seemed like the best option. This is not about blame. This is a matter of having qualified people to provide the services the facility claims they can provide to the people they serve.
December 1, 2011 at 9:15 pm

lynn
Very well said. Agree completely.
December 5, 2011 at 7:24 pm

suzzy smith
Wow! This is very sad and traggic. I do not think this it is fair to put blame on just the state or the home. I guess the “former state’s attorney” could not care for her either as she was not placed with him? Mary says it all by saying she was put in state care becaue she was a danger to herself. Maybe CBS should have spend a couple of days in Caitlin’s hometown and they would have discovered more background about her. How about if the family who created her problems then could not control her? After the fact of something traggic now the family puts blame on the people who were supposed to “fix” what they created. How long had she been running? What were these dangers to herself that brought her into care? If she was so safe at another facility then why was she moved? Even better yet if she was not having anymore dangerous behaviors then why was she not returned home? It is hard when something traggic happens like this and emotions run high. I think the family should look at what part they had in this before they put the whole blame on someone else.
December 2, 2011 at 9:24 pm

Stacey
She was in a 24/7 monitored facility with around the clock care. SO WHY THE HELL DID THEY MOVE HER TO A GROUP HOME???!!!!
December 6, 2011 at 12:40 am

cmack:

--- Quote ---...police records showing Naperville police were called to the home 625 times in just two years.
--- End quote ---

Nah, No problems there.

Ursus:
Pic from the article in the OP:



Caitlin Lee, 15, killed herself in October 2011, when she ran away from the group home where she lived in Naperville, following a number of suicide threats. Her family believes the state should not have put her in a group home, but kept her at a different facility where she was doing well. (Family Photo)

©2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc.[/list]

Ursus:
From the program's website, emphasis as per the original:

-------------- • -------------- • --------------

Helping Chicagoland's At-Risk Children and Their Families Build, Achieve, and Sustain better Lives.

Welcome to ChildServ

ChildServ is a highly experienced multidisciplinary child and family services network that reaches children and families facing adversity in the Illinois counties of Cook, Lake and DuPage. We focus on providing in-depth community-based programs to underserved children and their families, foster parents or other caregivers.

Comprehensive, individually tailored programs deliver immediate intervention, protection or shelter when needed, and provide longer-term guidance and support to help children grow into healthy and thriving adults. Founded in 1894, the organization continues to work with families, communities and legislators on child advocacy issues. ChildServ helps bring about change that helps children to build, achieve and sustain better lives.

SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY


* ChildServ programs and services reach 3,100 children and families each year.
* ChildServ's wide range of programs includes foster care and adoption, group homes, child care, early childhood education, and parenting support enhanced by healthy lifestyle information and college / career readiness support
* ChildServ's GrandFamily Support program serves 265 grandparents and 506 children.
Our Mission - "To Help Chicagoland's At-Risk Children and Their Families Build, Achieve and Sustain Better Lives."

We believe strong families and communities are keys to a child's success in life. Our mission shall be accomplished by providing leadership and programming that will...


* Educate children, families and communities to overcome the challenges encountered by children and youth
* Prevent conditions in which children, youth, and families are placed at-risk
* Intervene early in crisis situations by providing children with a path to a nurturing, permanent home
* Advocate on behalf of children and families with elected representatives and the general public on issues that affect the stability of children and their families
We are proud to be an organization with a long term vision for children. ChildServ's success stems from its capacity to deliver effective innovative services to children.


© 2011 ChildServ.org.
8765 W. Higgins Road, Suite 450, Chicago, IL 60631

Ursus:
This organization appears to have ties to the United Methodist Church. How close those ties do bind, or not, is unclear.

Their 'About Us' page:

-------------- • -------------- • --------------

Helping Chicagoland's At-Risk Children and Their Families Build, Achieve, and Sustain better Lives.

A ChildServ, Chicagoland's Child and Family Service Provider

ChildServ is a child and family services organization, providing community-based programs to underserved children and families in the Illinois counties of Cook, Lake and DuPage. Our services range from family support groups to children's group homes in Lisle, Naperville and Downers Grove. ChildServ serves the children and families in our community through a comprehensive, tailored service program that goes well above and beyond merely providing shelter.

ChildServ recognizes that the strength of our organization lies in our commitment to community and the preservation of family. Our homes and services represent more than just a warm bed. In addition to shelter in a therapeutic group home setting, ChildServ provides children and families with:


* Counseling
* Group Therapy
* Life skills education
* Social activities and recreation
We welcome you to learn more about ChildServ's child welfare family resources by browsing the menu along the left-hand side of the page or exploring more about us on our News page. To donate or volunteer, or for general information about foster child care or services at our family service center, you may contact us via phone at (773) 693-0300 or email info@childserv.org.

Check out ChildServ on YouTube!  

Our 2011 Annual Report is here!


© 2011 ChildServ.org.
8765 W. Higgins Road, Suite 450, Chicago, IL 60631

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